Staten Island schools chief disputes sex allegations

United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, above left, denies charges in a lawsuit that says he was caught having sex with a guidance counselor, Emelina Camacho-Mendez, (above right) in a wood shop at a Brooklyn high school and the city and union covered it up.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew is telling his union he's staying put and has shrugged off charges in a lawsuit filed by a disgruntled teacher that says Mulgrew was caught having sex with a guidance counselor in a wood shop at a Brooklyn high school and the city and union covered it up.

The allegations are contained in a lawsuit filed by math teacher Andrew Ostrowsky. The teacher, from Frank Sinatra High School in Queens, reportedly believes he is being targeted for firing.

Mulgrew -- a Staten Islander who has held the reins of the city's teachers' union for the past three years -- is accused in the federal lawsuit of having sex with the guidance counselor in William E. Grady High School in 2005, when both were employed there.

The suit also charges that the United Federation of Teachers offered labor concessions to City Hall in an attempt to cover up the alleged Mulgrew tryst.

But in a letter to UFT members, Mulgrew, 47, of Oakwood, who became president in 2009, called the claims "absurd" and "without ... proof."

National United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who headed the union here at the time of the alleged incident, said the charges are "utterly baseless in fact."

Ostrowsky's suit, which identifies the guidance counselor as Emelina Camacho-Mendez, alleges that Ms. Weingarten, who was grooming Mulgrew to take over for her, buckled on union demands to keep things hush-hush.

Ms. Camacho-Mendez is currently a full-time union employee.

UFT borough representative Emil Pietromonaco declined comment but forwarded an e-mail Mulgrew sent to members that says, in part: "The UFT has been sued in federal court in a lawsuit that charges, among other things, that the New York state Legislature, Mayor Bloomberg, the schools chancellor and the union have been engaged in a multi-year secret pact to reduce the rights of teachers. The lawsuit names myself ... Weingarten and features false and absurd claims of a wide-ranging conspiracy and personal misconduct without stating any actual proof of either."

Mulgrew called the suit "frivolous" and "unworthy of serious consideration," adding: "When an organization like ours strongly defends the public schools, their students and its members, our opponents will seize on any opportunity to make teachers and their union a target."

During an appearance on the Island yesterday, Walcott deflected questions about the suit, saying: "I understand there's pending litigation, and I'm mentioned in that litigation, so I can't comment at this particular point."

Mulgrew is up for re-election as president next year.

A one-time carpenter, Mulgrew began his teaching career as a substitute in Brooklyn in 1990. He worked his way up through the ranks of the UFT, holding the posts of vice president for career and technical education high schools and chief operating officer before becoming president.